It was a busy summer for Chinese pharmaceutical companies and investors who went global shopping, eying mega acquisition deals since China announced plans to accept overseas clinical trial data and global multicenter studies as part of its policies.

Sanofi signed a $2bn deal with DiCE Molecules to develop small molecules against targets previously addressed by biologics; Toshiba sold its diagnostics and medical imaging division to Canon for $6bn. Debt offerings dominated biopharma and device financings.

Recent media coverage of “failed” drugs being given a second life in China has raised a raft of issues, including whether preference should be given to the domestic industry, with its poor quality record and scant innovation, and if the impact of the recent official redefinition of a new drug is really spurring innovation or just driving new types of licensing deals.

One stone, three birds is what Humanwell aims for when the aspiring Chinese specialty pharma gains an entry to the U.S. market via acquisition of Epic Pharma. As a company little known outside China making its first international move, it hopes to gain access to a large product portfolio, exposure to the world's largest pharma market and upgrading its own manufacturing quality.